Big Ten · Evanston, Illinois
Northwestern Football
2026 college football program hub
The short version
Northwestern football in 2026
Northwestern is 3-1 through 4 completed games: 3 wins, 1 loss.
Latest confirmed result: Northwestern beat Penn State Nittany Lions, 34-13, on Friday, October 2, 2026.
Northwestern plays next against Michigan State Spartans on Saturday, October 17, 2026, on the road. Kickoff is 12:00 PM EDT. TV coverage is TBD.
Program center
Northwestern football pages
2026 season
Big Ten football
3-1 current recordHead coach
David Braun
Leading the Northwestern Wildcats through the 2026 season.
Program profile
Evanston, Illinois
Northwestern
2026 roster snapshot
A face from the NW roster
Program background · Reviewed 2026-10-06
Roster and the 2026 staff
David Braun leads the staff, with Chip Kelly on offense and Tim McGarigle on defense. The coaches tab includes the school's named on-field assistants and their specific roles.
The roster tab lists 123 players, keeping the published numbers, positions, eligibility and measurements when available. This is a dated roster listing, not a depth chart or an availability report.
Program background · Reviewed 2026-10-06
Home games and previous seasons
Northwestern Wildcats plays at Ryan Field. The 2025 team finished 7-6; that prior-season record is kept separate from the 2026 standings.
The history page provides program milestones and venue context. Current dates, scores and future opponents belong to the 2026 schedule page.
Explore
More on NW
Players
Roster
Published player records by position group, with available class years, measurements, and hometowns.
Staff
Coaches
David Braun and the published staff directory.
Numbers
Season stats
Confirmed results, points scored and allowed, and per-game scoring averages.
Archive
Program history
Championships, milestones, and the program’s history.
League
Big Ten
The rest of the conference and how the title race is shaping up.
Nearby
Teams in Illinois
Other programs in the same state, if you follow more than one.
FAQ
NW frequently asked questions
What is the NW 2026 football record?
Northwestern is 3-1 through 4 completed games: 3 wins, 1 loss.
When does NW play next?
Northwestern plays next against Michigan State Spartans on Saturday, October 17, 2026, on the road. Kickoff is 12:00 PM EDT. TV coverage is TBD.
Who coaches Northwestern?
David Braun is the head coach.
What conference does NW play in?
Northwestern competes in the Big Ten.
Last updated
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